Tent



Mar. 3. .1925.

s. HAwKlNs TENT Filed July 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet, 1

ff//Y 1 Mar; 3, 1925.

S. HAWKINS TENT Filed July 5, 1925 2 sheets-sheet 2 /l//f//V/S. www

-. ffl/Z614? Patented Mar. 3, 1925.

UNITED vSTATES` SILAS HAWKIN S, 0F LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

TENT.

Application filed July 3,

To all 'whom t may concern: Y

Be it known that I, SrLAs HAwKrNs, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvement-s in Tents, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tents, and more particularly to tent frames. y

An object of the invention is toV provide a knock-down tent frame composed of tubular and telescopic elements that are adapted to be compactly telescoped one within the other so that all of the frame sections, when mutually telescoped, may be packed in a comparatively small space to facilitate transportation and storage, especially for veh1cular touring parties. An object is' to provide a sectional tent skeleton or framework 1n which 'the various elements are adapted to be assembled when complementary sections are extended one on the other, and an object is to provide means for securely fastening thev the assembled and erected skeleton or frame sections to obtain a rigid framework.

v Another object is to provide a tent structure including e a rigid framework upon which the tent walls and roof members are adapted to be readily mounted and dismounted, and further, to provide means for permitting the natural variation' of dimensions of the tent fabrics according to eXpansion and contraction of the same without lacerating the tent fabrics and without distorting the frame members. Y Y

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following specification of an .embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective ofthe erected tent. Y Y

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section of the erected tent.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse section on line 3 3 of Figure 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4-4 of Figure 2. Y

Fig. 5 is Va perspective of the erected tent skeleton. l y

Fig. 6 is a 'sectional' detail showing fastened telescopic tubes. v Y y Fig. 7 is a detail of the tent pole top joint.

Fig. 8 shows a modified form of frame element inv which the tube is of rectangular cross section.

The invention consists of a tent frameV 1923. Serial No. 649,248.

sections 3y telescoping in the foot sections,

and top sections 4' telescoping in theintermediate sections and 'having upper ends cut y obliquely as at 5, Figure 7, so that contiguous ends of top sections 4 can be abutted end to end and secured firmly together. The upper ends of the top sections 4 are adapted to be enclosed in a fork 6 having an upwardly extending shank 7. Through the arms of the fork 6 and the abutted ends 5 of the top sections 4 is passed a fastening key 8.

The fastening keys, ofv which a number are used for fastening the various elements of the tent skeleton, are'preferably provided with an eye 9 at one end and arev apertured at the opposite end to receive a pin 10 whereby the ykey is prevented from being accidentally dislodged or pulled from the sec-V tions through which it may be passed to secure the sections iny attached position, as'fin Figure 6. The pin 10 is preferably permanently Vattached to the fastening key 8 as by means of a piece of string orother flexible medium 11. y Y

'n The telescoping ends of thef'several pole sections are adapted to be adjusted sol that apertures therein will be registered to receive the respective fastening keys 8, which Awill therefore hold the pole sect-ions' in eX- tended position. The pole sections are adapted to be telescopedV one within the other when the frame is knocked down so as to obtain a compact nesting of the various elements. v f

A ridge member consists of tubular or other sections 13 within the abutted end portions of which is a core or ,supporting tubek 14, Figure 2, which is provided with `apertures 15 to be registered with apertures in the abutting ends of the ridge sections 13 and receive fasteningk pinsv16, thus rigidly connecting andsupporting 4the inner abutted ends. of the ridge tube sections 13. The outer ends of the ridge tube sections are perforated at 17 to receive the upwardly eX- tending Shanks of thel apex or crotch or fork piece 6. v l A Mounted around the Shanks 7 are compressible springs 18, on which the ridge pole rests yieldingly so that when the tent top T is applied, as in Figure 1, and secured to the frame, the fabric can shrink and expand with yielding'action of the ridge pole and thus prevent mutilation of the top fabric or distortion of the frame parts.

The sectional tent poles l'orm inverted Vs When assembled and to transversely brace the legs or posts, and further, to provide supports or the curtain Wall Vf, transverse members consisting o' tubes 2O are provided, and these are perforated at 2l to provide for the reception ot the topmost post sections l. The transverse tubular members 2() are also perforated at 22 to provide tor reception ot end pieces 23 ot a longitudinal central brace 24 which is mace of' similar tubular sections, as clearly shown in F igure 2.

ln the abutted ends ot the sections torming the central brace 2% is a telescopic core or plug 25, through which passes a tastening key 26 similar to the key 8 previously7 described. rlhis key tastens a section oit the brace 2li to the core member 25 in a detachable n'ianner. in intermediate transverse brace is provided and consists of similar sections 27, one ot which is provided with a core portion 28 telescoping in the opposite aligned section 27. nilhese members are secured by a tastening key 29, Figure 5. Vihe Vcentral transverse brace device 27 is sup` ported in one ot the sections ol" the long-i tud'inal brace 24, which lat-ter is perforated as in Figure 4 to receive the core or stem portion 28. The sections 27 ot the intermediate transverse brace abut against the opposite sides ot the brace member 24, as shown in Figure 4l. The transverse devices 20 and 24 have reduced end portions 30 and have shoulders 3l. The tent Wall lV, which is preferably made ot one piece, is adapted to be hung on 'the reduced portions 30 et the` several transverse members.

Preferably, the top edge of the marginal portion of the Wall ld is provided with eyelets or grommets 32, Figure 3, to slip over the reduced portions 30 of the transverse members and to tit against the shoulders 3l thereof so as to hold the tent wall in suspended denitely spaced position around the trame, as clearly seen in Figures l, 2 and 3. The lower port-ions ot the panels of the Walls il areyieldingly attached to the loiver sections 2 ot' the tent trame as by inea-ns for springs 333 connected to the Wall Jfabric and having hooks 34e at their lower ends to enter apertures 35 provided therefor in the lower sections ot the upright legs or poles.4 This yieldable connection serves to draw the tent panels taut and at the same time allows them to shrink or expand Without lacci-ation of the fabric or injury to the trame. Y

The meeting ends ot the Wall may be over- Y lapped, as clearly shown in Figure l, to form the front opening and closure ot' the tent. The top T is provided with grommetedA openings Figure l, to pass over the reduced retaining parts 30 of the transverse frame members; the top being provided with pendant flanges ot cave-forming portions E.

Obviously, the tubular telescopic members that are adapted to be iitted and telescoped one Within trie other may be of circular or other cross section. rectangular crossV section are shown in Figure 8. 'lhis form of tube has the advantage of always present-ing the respective apertures in the sections with proper sides` in Vconstant register, since the telescopic sections cannot rotate and thus turn the apertures out ot respective position.

lili-om the above it will be seen 'that l have ro\.fi led a tent skeleton or trame consisting ot tubular elements including complementary parts which are adapted to be readily compactly telescoped to occupy small spac when knocked down and which are capable ot being quickly extended in the erection ot the trame and effectively secured against accidental dislocation ivhen'the tent. trame is set up. rt the same time, l have provided a tent trame which is of rigid structure when erected and which, being ot tubular material, may be ot minimum Weight and yet retain the desired strength ot parts,

lFurther embodiments, modifications and variations may be resorted to Within the principle ot the invention.

VJ hat is claimed is:

l. A tent structure comprising, in combination, a skeleton trame of tubular tele scopic and extensible upright and telescopic and eXtensible transverse members, a :taloric Wall adapted to be suspended upon the transverse members of the trame, and a fabric top adapted to be mounted upon the traine and having portions overlapping and torming Veaves around the top ot the wall, the skeleton inclu ding a tubular knockdoivn yieldably mounted ridge pole adapted to move upon contraction and expansion ot the tent top to protect the same against laceration.

2. A tent structure comprising, in combination, a skeleton t'am'e of tubular telescopic and extensible upright and telescopic and extensible transverse members, a 'fabric Wall adapted to be suspended upon the trans- Y verse members of the trame, a fabric top adapted to be mounted upon the trame and having portions overlapping and forming eaves around the top of the wall and means Yfor yieldingly attaching the tent Wall to the trame so as to provide for expansion and contraction ot the tent Wall Without laceration thereof and injury to the frame.

3, In a tent structure, a skeleton trame including a pair ot convergent end poles at each end oit the frame, a ridge pole mounted' upon the convergent ends ot the end poles, transverse end brace members mounted on the convergent end poles, and a longitudinal 'lelescopic members otlUO brace member mounted with its ends eX- tending through the transverse end braces of the frame.

4. ln a tent structure, a skeleton frame including a pair of convergent end poles at each end of the frame, a 1idge lpole mounted upon the convergent ends of the end poles, transverse end brace members mounted on the convergent end poles, and a longitudinal brace member mounted With its ends extending through the transverse end braces of the frame, the ends of the transverse braces being provided with portions forming supports upon which a curtain Wall may be suspended. a

In a tent structure, a skeleton frame including a pair of convergent end poles at each end of the frame, a ridge pole mounted upon the convergent ends of the end poles, transverse end brace members mounted on the convergent end poles, and a longitudinal brace member mounted with its ends extending through the transverse end braces or" the trame, the ends of the transverse braces being provided With'reduced portions forming supports upon which a curtain Wall may be suspended.

6. In a tent structure7 a skeleton frame including sectional poles arranged in pairs each including convergent poles, means for fastening the contiguous convergent ends of each pair of poles, and said means including shank portions, a ridge pole adapted to be mounted upon the said shank portions, and yielding means on said shank portions and upon which the said ridge pole is yieldingly mounted so as to move in accordance with expansion and contraction of an applied tent top.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to Ythis specification.

SILAS HAWKINS. 

